2 Answers

This is a tough call without having multiple batteries to use for testing. I always suspect the battery first, since it's generally the most likely problem. There are a lot of flaky batteries in the world, so it may be that your "new" battery is not actually good. I would have it swapped out before doing work on your computer, just to see. Also, how is the behavior of your old battery? Does it behave similarly, or does it charge like you would expect it to (although of course it probably doesn't hold much of a charge, which I assume is why you replaced it)? If it behaves like you would expect a battery to, then that points to your new battery having a problem, and if it behaves strangely like the new battery, then your laptop may have an issue.

I'd Google "Coconut Battery" and download it, and see if it shows that it is charging, and verify the capacity of the battery is what it should be. I would also make sure to leave the battery charging in the computer overnight. Sometimes batteries that have been sitting for an extended period take a while to "wake up" and normalize themselves.

It's conceivable that the battery connector inside the computer is faulty, or that you have a bad DC-in, but that's rarely the case in a specifically battery-related issue, especially if your computer works fine on AC power, and I'd really explore testing the machine with other batteries first if possible.

Hmmmm...the batteries appear to be OK from what you've posted. If the batteries behave the same, the one constant is the computer, so unfortunately I'd have to guess your computer has developed a hardware problem. I would start with the battery connector, because it's cheaper and easier to swap out, but honestly the problem in these situations is more often the DC-in.

It may also be worth trying another AC adapter if you haven't already. Is it the same AC you used when the machine was working, and is it 65-watt (15" PowerBooks are best used with 65-watt ACs, since they draw a fair amount of power)?

Not on this Powerbook model, but in Macbook Pros that came with the older "straight type power connector," using the newer chargers with the "L" shaped connector results in the battery not charging. The solution is a firmware upgrade downloadable from Apple. I just can't find its location in the Apple website right now.